One Spins, One Inherits

You're not missing! says Terence.

No. I'm right here, says Waca.

And you can talk! says Terence.

I can, says Waca. And while I'm sorry my colleague is now spinning through space, I welcome this opportunity.

Can you not use big words, says Terence.

Spinning? says Waca.

No, not spinning, says Terence.

Okay, says Waca. But you do realise...

Don't tell me, says Terence.

Fine, says Waca. So now I'm your coach. Where have those wheels gone?

Pierre-Louis has them, says Vello. Wake him up.

No need, says Gaius. Pierre-Louis has lost them. 

They rolled away, says Terence. That way.

He points sideways and forward.

Fortunately you no longer need them, says Gaius. Your foot seems much better.

What about me? asks Waca. They were my wheels.

Half yours, says Terence.

I believe in the circumstances they are all mine, says Waca.

No, says Terence. You can't do proper dividing.

It's the laws of inheritance surely, says Vello. The ducks were siblings. One duck goes off spinning in space, the other inherits.

They were my ducks, says Terence. 

This is all hypothetical, says Gaius. The wheels have been lost, that's all there is to it.

For some time now, Pierre-Louis has been half awake.

He has heard about the wheels disappearing, and decided to apply his famous principle of least action.

But now.

Is that a cheese omelet he smells? And some kind of sausage? Must be time for breakfast.

He opens his eyes.

Ah! says Gaius. You're awake. Did you sleep well?

Guess what? says Terence. You lost all my wheels.

My wheels, says Waca.

Same thing, says Terence.

I'm very sorry, says Pierre-Louis. I should have put them in my pocket.

I don't recommend it, says Vello. I slept with a wooden duck in my pocket. 

I can't help being wooden, says Waca.

No he can't, says Terence. 

We're the same in that way, says Waca. Both hard. 

Yes, says Terence. But I'm harder.

There was something I was going to ask Pierre-Louis, says Gaius. Now what was it?

About my expedition to Lapland to establish through astronomical observations the true shape of the earth, says Pierre-Louis. 

Yes that was it. How did you know? asks Gaius.

The observations proved it, says Pierre-Louis. It's oblate, not prolate.

That's not what I meant, says Gaius.

Breakfast is coming, says Pierre-Louis. I must go to the toilet....

He stands up and pushes past David, who is in the aisle seat, still sleeping, and (would you believe it?), has all four wheels in his pocket.